“More Activity” Belinda said as I cantered past her. She did not mean I should get Biasini to go faster or more forward. The activity she wants to see is in his hind legs. His hind end is where he must be more active.
This past week I have been getting on Biasini and warming him up before Belinda gets on to ride him. This is my way of easing myself back into riding after my low back strain that has had me off for almost three weeks.
So I am just taking it one step at a time. However…..When I cantered past Belinda and she said :”More activity!” I thought “I’m back!” Belinda had asked me during the warm up how I was feeling and I said I was ok. So then she asked for more. And here is the interesting thing. I have been watching Belinda ride while I have been off and I see her giving Biasini the aid for more activity in the canter. She gives him little nudges with the ankle of her outside leg. Not a kick or a big push, no spur involved. Just a rapid little tap, tap, tap. Having seen that and knowing why she was doing it I applied that same aid today. Success!
Why do you want more activity in the hind end. It encourages the horse to get his hind legs under him and bring his front legs up and out more. The result of that can be dramatic. Here is a very short video of some trot and a few steps of a beautiful passage at the end of Belinda’s ride today. After he did so well Belinda gives him a pat and lets him relax.
The moral of this story is that “more activity” can produce terrific results!
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